


you make my heart burn

by myhopeisjhope



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, Some attempted humour, side characters are mostly mentioned, very light angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:46:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23257135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myhopeisjhope/pseuds/myhopeisjhope
Summary: “What’s up with that awful expression?” Atsumu asked. He leaned against the counter with his hip, looking directly at Kiyoomi, his regular fox-line grin plastered on his face.Kiyoomi made eye-contact with him then, his eyebrows knotting in annoyance, but Atsumu was too interested in the cute pair of beauty marks above Kiyoomi’s eye to care about the glare that was sent his way.“What’s up with that awful hair?” Kiyoomi shot back.And that was exactly when Atsumu decided he liked the guy.
Relationships: Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi
Comments: 28
Kudos: 1381





	you make my heart burn

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this is my second fic for atsusaku, and honestly, i really love writing for this ship. i wrote this on whim after my job interview after seeing a really damn gorgeous guy who worked there, and it's very different from what i usually write, but surprisingly, i like it much more than my first fic for this fandom (despite the first fic being much more my style lmao). 
> 
> side characters i chose are the characters i really either miss or love so much that i couldnt just let the chance to throw them here pass lol. 
> 
> i hope you like it, and I'll be very grateful for every kudo/bookmark/comment or even a read. i was very happy about the comments i got on my first fic despite my worries, so i hope this work can receive some love too. as i've mentioned, i usually write different stuff - very angsty stuff - so writing something with so little angst made me feel weird but i still kind of like it, so i hope you do too
> 
> i see others giving here their twitter or tumblr, but since i have neither, u can contact me on instagram and fangirl over haikyuu with me there. my username is chogiwamacik if anyone was interested :)
> 
> so, i guess that's it. enjoy!

"Tsum-Tsum, look who's here!" Bokuto says as he passes Atsumu, slapping his shoulder and laughing loudly. The petite high school student on the other side of the counter startles, almost dropping her money at the sound of Bokuto's hollering laughter, and Atsumu ignores the pain that Bokuto's slap has left him with in order to apologize to the girl, giving her a polite smile before glancing to the door subtly. "Your favorite customer," Bokuto adds, grinning at Atsumu while making the said girl the chai tea she ordered, and the newcomer his usual order as well. 

And indeed, when Atsumu averts his gaze from the current customer to look at the door, there he sees him; wearing the same disgusting yellow windbreaker as last time, half of his face covered with a black scarf and a face-mask. His hair is messier than usual - most likely from the strong wind - wavy strands sticking to all directions, and Atsumu's heart skips a beat when Kiyoomi runs a hand through his hair to get them in place, getting the few stray curls from his eyes. Then, he looks in the direction of the counter and when their eyes meet, Kiyoomi scowls, his eyebrows knotting in that weird way Atsumu has come to like way more than he should. 

_He's fucking beautiful,_ Atsumu thinks, completely ignoring the glare that the boy sends him as he walks deeper into the café. 

"Uhm, here you go," the girl says, handing Atsumu the money, and it's only then that Atsumu looks away from Kiyoomi, his gaze falling back on the girl. 

"Thank you," he replies, giving her back the change. "Your coffee will be ready in a minute. I hope you'll enjoy it." He smiles at the end for good measure, and the girl blushes, taking the change in hurry before moving away from the queue, waiting for her coffee a meter away. When she moves to the side, Atsumu already feels his whole body beginning to buzz with excitement, heart beating quicker upon knowing who the next customer is. 

"One caramel latte," the familiar flat voice says, but despite the clear lack of enthusiasm in his tone, it makes Atsumu grin. 

"I already know that," Atsumu says, eyes following Kiyoomi's gloved hands as the boy starts taking off his scarf. Even such an ordinary thing seems to be calculated to the very last move when it comes to Kiyoomi. "You always order the same thing, Omi-kun."

"Stop calling me that," Kiyoomi tells him - like he always does when Atsumu uses some kind of nickname for him - but after reprimanding Atsumu so many times already, his face remains expressionless and voice nonchalant, as if he was just reading newspaper out loud. Atsumu isn't all that surprised though, given that Kiyoomi has been asking him to drop the nicknames for, maybe, four months already? Not like Atsumu would stop anyway, but he can appreciate Kiyoomi for trying. 

The first few times when Atsumu called him _Omi-kun_ or whatever else, Kiyoomi's eyebrows twitched funnily in displeasure, his voice coming out a bit rough around the edges as he asked Atsumu to never call him that again. However, after coming to realize that Atsumu simply won't stop, his frustration slowly but surely started to cease. Or, at least it looks like Kiyoomi has gotten used to it and accepts it after all this time. 

"Of course," Atsumu chuckles, both of them knowing that Atsumu isn't going to stop anytime soon. "How was your day?" he asks instead. 

"Decent until I saw it's you here again," Kiyoomi replies and puts the coins worth of four hundred yen on the counter, paying the whole price even though he knows that Atsumu would give him the discount had he asked. His words sound cruel and quite hostile, but Atsumu knows Kiyoomi doesn’t actually mean them. They have gotten used to each other already, and Atsumu can tell that while Kiyoomi’s words sound very unfriendly, Kiyoomi just likes to mess with him. They are at the point where Atsumu doesn’t even get fazed by something like this. "How many people sat there today?" he questions, knowing that he doesn't have to specify, and Atsumu opens his mouth to answer, but Bokuto is quicker - unfortunately. 

"Nobody!" Bokuto chirps as he gives the girl from before her coffee, and both Atsumu and Kiyoomi turn to him. Bokuto then places a see-through mug on the counter a second later, pushing it closer to Kiyoomi, and says, "Tsum-Tsum has been saving it for you!"

"Bokuto-"

"He even lied to some customers who wanted to sit there so they would sit somewhere else," Bokuto laughs, not sensing in the slightest that Atsumu is praying for him to _shut up._ "It's perfectly clean, Omi, don't worry! My awesome colleague has been taking care of it - he's been even wiping the table and the seat with antiseptic wipes, crazy huh? Well, at least I have one less table to clean." And with that, Bokuto goes to wipe the tables, leaving like he just didn't embarrass Atsumu beyond belief. Good thing that Kuroo is currently busy with something in the back storage and didn't witness the peak humiliation Atsumu has just been through, because Atsumu is sure as hell the asshole wouldn't let him live it down. 

Atsumu imagined the whole situation playing out quite differently in his head; starting with him telling Kiyoomi that he has been saving the seat just for him, saying it in flirtatious tone while looking completely cool, and ending with Kiyoomi being very grateful and maybe even thanking him. _But_ Bokuto just had to ruin it all, and now Atsumu looks anything but cool. In fact, he looks like he's a fifteen year old obsessed with his crush, and although yes he definitely _is_ head over heels for Kiyoomi, he wanted to present a different image in front of him. 

"Oh, really," it's Kiyoomi's voice that brings him back to reality, and Atsumu doesn't even want to look at the guy, knowing perfectly well how red his face is. Mere standing behind the counter feels way too awkward at the moment, and Atsumu wonders if he can't just leave for a t - read: hide in the bathroom and cry a bit - since there aren't any new customers. However, it would not only be unprofessional but it would also let Kiyoomi know just _how_ embarrassed Atsumu is, so there's no way he'll do that. 

And so, he scrapes the last bits of his dignity and shattered self-esteem and inhales deeply, turning to Kiyoomi with an overly fake smile. "Bokuto talks a lot, ya shouldn't believe everythin' he says," he gets out, biting the insides of his cheeks. 

"Unfortunate," Kiyoomi says and takes his coffee from the counter, a huff leaving his lips that could be almost mistaken for a... laugh? It surprises Atsumu, since the last time he heard a puff of air escaping Kiyoomi's lips in similar manner, Kiyoomi saw Atsumu slipping on the floor and falling on his ass in the middle of the café, and that was _definitely_ a laugh at the time. "I might have thanked you if it was true." 

"..Huh?" Atsumu lets out, not yet registering Kiyoomi's words because his brain shuts down the moment the two of them make eye-contact.

The look in Kiyoomi's eyes is different from the dull one he usually gives Atsumu, and it's exactly the amusement - mixed with something else that Atsumu can't decipher - flickering through Kiyoomi's dark orbs that makes Atsumu's breath hitch and his heart skip a beat. Plus, with Kiyoomi's eyebrows finally relaxing and not doing some strange motions, eyes looking so soft under the stray curls that fall into them, the boy looks almost... approachable. Atsumu even wants to go as far as thinking that Kiyoomi is smiling under the mask.

"W-Wait, it's true!" Atsumu stutters out once he realizes what Kiyoomi said. "Bokuto didn't lie. Thank me all ya want-"

"Missed your chance," is all Kiyoomi says before taking his coffee and turning around, walking to his usual seat.

Atsumu wants to say something else, but another group of customers walks in then, and so all he can do is sink into himself behind the counter, his smile forced and actions rushed. Bokuto comes back too to help him prepare the orders, and Atsumu's first impulse is to trip Bokuto as the boy comes back, but he decides to forgive the idiot for his big mouth - this time - since it worked out better than Atsumu expected. 

After the group is taken care of, Atsumu wants to approach Kiyoomi and push his luck a bit more. Unfortunately, he doesn't get to do that, because after the group leaves other customers walk in, and then more, and then some. Atsumu shouldn't be so surprised, given that it's lunch time and their coffee is the best around here - Atsumu is very confident in that - but god, is it frustrating. After all this time Kiyoomi did more than just scowl at him, and Atsumu wanted to take his chances today, but fate has a different opinion on the situation, it seems. 

When the lunch rush dies down and there are no new customers at sight, Atsumu notices Kiyoomi is no longer there. He visibly deflates and pouts, ignoring Bokuto as he goes over to Kiyoomi's seat to clean up, his coworker's comments flying past him and missing his ears by a kilometer. _This is just my luck, really,_ Atsumu thinks with a disappointed grunt as he nears the table, wondering what he did wrong in the past life to deserve this. It's not like Kiyoomi is completely unfriendly on daily basis - not anymore, at least - but there aren't many times that Kiyoomi looks approachable either, and Atsumu has missed his chance so _much_ today that it hurts. He doesn't think that Kiyoomi would finally say yes to his date offer, no; he just thought that they can talk a little, maybe. 

With a frustrated frown on his face Atsumu picks up the now empty cup and is ready to wipe the table, but then his eyes fall on a small piece of paper that was hidden under the mug until now. Atsumu narrows his eyes at it, wondering how it got there because Kiyoomi _never_ leaves any trash behind - it's always just the empty mug - but then his gaze focuses at the letters that are written there. Thanks to the neat handwriting, Atsumu can read what's written on the paper even despite the letters being quite small. 

_Thank you. And no, I'm still not going on a date with you,_ it says, and it makes Atsumu scoff in amusement. For some people it would sound very much like a complete rejection, but for Atsumu it only means that Kiyoomi is actually starting to warm up to him. It makes a small spark of hope ignite in his heart, and he chuckles fondly, taking the paper and putting it into his pocket before moving on to wiping the table. 

Atsumu is definitely going to ask Kiyoomi out again the next time he sees him. 

  
  
  


Atsumu has liked Kiyoomi for quite a while now. 

There is no groundbreaking story behind it, to be honest. It was just an ordinary day at work at the beginning of December when Komori - one of the now ex-employees - walked into the café with a curly-haired stranger in tow who definitely didn’t look all too happy to be there. The stranger caught Atsumu’s attention immediately, but not because of the peculiar displeased expression and funny eyebrow game he had going on, even when that was some quality content as well. 

He caught Atsumu’s eye because of the horrible windbreaker jacket he was wearing. It was yellow and really ugly, but it somehow still looked good on the guy, which was a miracle itself. Atsumu still wanted to puke at the sight of the horrendous fashion sense, though. 

Another interesting thing about Kiyoomi was the way he carried himself. 

Atsumu thought that a guy like him - tall with broad shoulders and good physique - would walk with his body straightened and act all big and mighty, but instead, Kiyoomi was more or less shrinking to himself as he followed behind Komori, shoulders slouched and hands hiding in his jacket’s pockets. He looked like a child whose mother had forced her son to come with her to do grocery shopping. It was pretty funny to watch, especially when Kiyoomi was staring at everyone and everything in a two-meters radius with a very skeptical look while Komori was smiling from ear to ear, blabbering on as they neared the counter. 

It looked oh so humorous and Atsumu couldn’t help but amuse himself a bit. 

_“What’s up with that awful expression?_ ” Atsumu asked before even greeting Komori. He leaned against the counter with his hip, looking directly at Kiyoomi, his regular fox-line grin plastered on his face. 

Kiyoomi made eye-contact with him then, his eyebrows knotting in annoyance, but Atsumu was too interested in the cute pair of beauty marks above Kiyoomi’s eye to care about the glare that was sent his way. 

_“What’s up with that awful hair?”_ Kiyoomi shot back, delivering the insult in an incredibly flat tone before Komori could stop him. 

And that was exactly when Atsumu decided he liked the guy. 

  
  
  


A day later, when Komori came to work, Atsumu asked about Kiyoomi - of course he did.

Komori told him a bit about his friend, sharing the obvious fact that Kiyoomi wasn’t exactly a people’s person, but that he’s also a good guy that just needs time to warm up to somebody. Atsumu then decided to pry a bit more, trying to get more information about the boy, but when Komori noticed Atsumu smirking dangerously, he said, _“Don’t hit on him. He’ll bite your head off.”_

_“I’d like to see him try.”_

And really, Kiyoomi looked like he wanted to murder Atsumu upon every visit to the café, but Atsumu just laughed at it every time. He also liked riling Kiyoomi up just about everything, whether it was the terrible jackets he wore or the surprising sweet tooth Kiyoomi had. (Truth be told though, Kiyoomi’s like of sweet drinks came as a huge shock the very first time Kiyoomi ordered. Atsumu would have bet that Kiyoomi was the black no sugar and no milk coffee type, but he was the exact opposite. And he always ordered the same thing - possibly the sweetest thing they had in here.)

At the beginning, it wasn’t anything serious. Of course Atsumu wouldn’t have had any problem with kissing the life out of the guy given the chance, but it was just mere attraction, not even a crush. Kiyoomi was handsome and interesting, and Atsumu just wanted to have some fun and flirt a bit every time Kiyoomi came to see Komori - he knew that he’ll get a discount on the coffee with his friend working at the time, that little shit. 

However, it had all become a bit more serious when Kiyoomi walked into the café on one January morning dressed... like a fucking model. There was no disgusting windbreaker jacket - although Atsumu had grown quite fond of it - or sweat pants. Instead, Kiyoomi was dressed in a long grey wool coat with a black turtleneck underneath it and equally black jeans, holding his scarf in his hand. He still had his face-mask on and his hair was still the same - messy and curly and tempting Atsumu to touch it, but it looked so much more different combined with such clothes. 

It's safe to say that Atsumu's heart has jumped out of his chest. 

_"Stop staring at me, creep,"_ Kiyoomi said as a greeting when he approached Atsumu. 

_"Well, of course I'd stare, Omi-kun,"_ Atsumu replied, willing his voice to sound normal. _"I'm just about to witness you finally findin' a fashion sense. It's a sight to behold."_ Truly, hiding the fact that Kiyoomi had made his heart race like crazy behind sarcastic comments is the best shield. At least coming up with comebacks in this difficult situation is making him focus on something else than how fucking _hot_ Kiyoomi is. 

_"One would think your jokes would get better with time. It's a disappointment that they don't."_

_"Oh, so mean,"_ Atsumu sighed theatrically. _"But it's okay. I still like ya."_

 _"God, you're so annoying,"_ Kiyoomi said and rolled his eyes. _"I'll take it with me today. I'm in hurry."_ Atsumu turned to let Shouyou know too, but it seemed like the boy heard Kiyoomi, because he was already taking a papercup in his hand. 

_"Y'know, Komori's not here today. Sure you're okay with payin' the whole price?"_ Atsumu questioned with a chuckle as he turned back. He was already typing in the employee discount code into the system for Kiyoomi's order, but there was no way he would have let a chance to tease the boy slip, no matter his emotional state. _"And what's the occasion for this dress up? I don't believe your taste in fashion changed overnight."_

Atsumu thought that Kiyoomi was going to tell him to go to hell or mind his own business, but it came as a surprise when the boy actually replied shortly, _"I have a family meeting."_

_"Have to look presentable for once, then?"_

_"Haha,_ " Kiyoomi let out with a deep, judging exhale. Without paying Atsumu more attention, he opened his wallet, searching through the coins to see if he had enough or if he should pay with a bank note. 

_"It's two hundred,"_ Atsumu said as he saw it.

Kiyoomi looked up at him from under his hair. Atsumu still thinks it was one of the most attractive things he has ever seen in his life. _"That's not the full price."_

_"I'm aware. I own it here."_

Most people would have been happy. Kiyoomi was not. _"I'm capable of paying the whole price. Or do I look like I can't?"_ he questioned with a frown. 

_"Most of the days, yeah. But today you look quite capable."_

_"So-"_

_"Just shut up."_

"You _shut up_ ," Kiyoomi told him. Atsumu wondered how such crude words could sound so good. _"I'm not a charity case."_

_"I'm not sayin' you are one. I'm just a nice person."_

_"Don't make me laugh."_

_"Out of all my jokes is this the one makin' you laugh?"_

_"Can you just-"_

_"Didn't ya say you're in a hurry?"_ Atsumu cut him off, thanking Shouyou who had brought the coffee over in the meantime. _"If you wanna make it up to me, go out with me,"_ Atsumu said with a smirk. At that point, it was half a joke and half a serious plea. 

_"...I'll rather pay triple of the price,_ " Kiyoomi muttered, but Atsumu noticed the way he took some time to respond and how his voice sounded... different. Kiyoomi also avoided eye-contact as he put the coins on the counter and took his coffee. Two hundred yen. It made Atsumu smirk. 

" _Bye."_ Kiyoomi turned around then, but not before glancing at Atsumu one more time as if searching for something. It was a short eye-contact, but Atsumu felt like it was their longest. 

It was then that Atsumu realized he had a huge crush on the guy.

And it only kept getting worse with every meeting, his feelings becoming more intense 

At this point, it's way more than a stupid crush. Four months have passed since their first meeting, and what Atsumu feels for Kiyoomi is definitely not love - that would be a strong expression - but he definitely feels _something_. It's almost frightening when Atsumu realizes that he has only felt like this handful of times in his life. Kiyoomi wasn't supposed to be more than a stupid crush, and yet Atsumu can't help but feel like he really, really wants to try things out with him for real and see how it works out.

It doesn't help at all when Kiyoomi is slowly but surely being nicer to him, in his own way. He's still a snarky asshole, and Atsumu has liked him for it for a while now, but he's somehow a _nicer_ asshole lately, and for some reason it makes Atsumu like him even more.

Kiyoomi still tells him to fuck off when Atsumu says something more suggestive than he should, but he says it with indifference now rather than with irritation.

Kiyoomi still isn't exactly talkative, but there are times when he asks Atsumu something too so the conversation would keep going while he's waiting for his coffee, so that Atsumu can talk his ears off more. (There was one time when Atsumu asked Kiyoomi why he won't just sit down and wait for a waiter to bring his drink over. He kind of hoped Kiyoomi was staying by the cash register because of him, but his dreams were shattered when Kiyoomi told him something along the lines of _I don't want more people than necessary to touch my mug.)_

Kiyoomi stills keeps on throwing insulting jabs at him, but now it's more about bickering than trying to actually insult Atsumu. 

Kiyoomi still continuously refuses to go out with him at least once, but the way he always pauses before telling Atsumu no gives Atsumu more hope than he would like to admit. 

God, and on top of that, Kiyoomi is still coming here frequently even after Komori had quit - or more like, took a break until his grades are better. Atsumu is confident that their coffee is the best, but he can't help and wonder if Kiyoomi has other reasons for coming back aside from being in love with their caramel latte. Atsumu really wants to believe there are other reasons - for example Atsumu himself could be good enough of a reason to keep coming back. 

It's not that strange that Atsumu is getting his hopes up, really, especially not after a conversation he had with Komori last week. 

The last time Komori came to visit his old workplace and chat a bit - maybe four days ago - he was the one to start talking about the topic of Sakusa Kiyoomi, asking what the hell was going on between them. Atsumu was pretty confused then and later on shocked to find out that Kiyoomi sometimes talks about him. _"Mostly about how your accent makes him want to puke and how annoying you are, but still. He actually talks about you,"_ Komori told him, and again, instead of focusing on the insult, Atsumu could only focus on _oh, he talks about me._

Is this the definition of being whipped? Sure feels like it. 

Komori also asked him to stop chasing after Kiyoomi if he wasn't serious about it. Atsumu tried to play it off with a joke at first, but Komori looked at him like it was not a laughing matter whatsoever, and that was enough for Atsumu to take it seriously as well. _"I'm not playin' around,"_ Atsumu responded with, wanting to assure Komori without using the words _I actually like him for real_ or anything similar. Atsumu has never been a fan of baring his soul to the outside world when it came to serious stuff, after all. 

However, Komori looked pretty satisfied with his answer - at least enough to let it go and change the topic. Unfortunately for Atsumu, it was much harder to just let it go and forget about it. He even called Osamu in order to have someone to ramble to, but his brother just told him to man up and do something instead of just moping around. It's easier said than done though. 

It's Tuesday now, but the Saturday's conversation with Komori is still keeping Atsumu up at night and then making him daydream during day. What Komori said to him is one of the main reasons Atsumu thinks that Kiyoomi could really like him too, otherwise Komori wouldn't be so concerned about Atsumu's flirting, right? Kiyoomi doesn't look like the type who would let something like stupid flirting get to him unless he would be interested as well, or not? If Kiyoomi has actually started to have feelings for Atsumu, it would be pretty logical for Komori to want to make sure that Atsumu isn't just playing around for shits and giggles like he usually is. Kiyoomi is Komori's good friend so it makes sense he wants to look out for Kiyoomi. Maybe-

"Atsumu, you need to wake up man," Kuroo says as he slaps him on the shoulder and leans against the counter with his back. Atsumu has told him not to do that countless of times, telling him that if he wants to slack off then he could at least do it while facing the door, but Kuroo never listens. "You've been out of it lately." 

"I'm not," Atsumu replies, kicking Kuroo's shin. Really, his and Bokuto's shoulder slaps are the worst. The two of them have no strength filter, idiots. 

"You are," Kuroo insists, returning the kick like the petty shit he is, and it makes Atsumu wonder why out of all the people he could have hired to work for him, he picked such a bunch of kids. Well, at least it's fun. "Trouble in paradise with germ boy?" 

Atsumu groans and runs a hand through his hair. "Does everybody here know about it?" A pause a then, "Did Bokuto tell you?"

"I definitely know about your sudden cleaning tendencies, yes. And I've also heard that Omi knows now too." Atsumu throws his head back before tilting it to the side and frowning at Kuroo. "Wish I was here at that time. It must have been quite a show."

"I'm gonna fire your disrespectful ass."

"You'd miss me," Kuroo says it with such certainty that Atsumu wants to prove him wrong right here and there and fire him on spot, just to see Kuroo getting scared for a minute before he'd realize Atsumu is just messing around. Atsumu did it once and it was funny as hell. "Has Omi showed up since then?" Kuroo asks then. 

"...No."

"So that's what is eating you up, huh?" Atsumu doesn't answer, so Kuroo takes it upon himself to continue. Not like Atsumu wants him to. "You worry too much, Tsum-Tsum."

"God, not you too."

"You give people stupid nicknames all the time. Karma is a bitch, right?" Kuroo laughs, but then his face becomes more serious and he folds his arms across his chest, saying, "No, but really. You worry too much."

"I'm not worried," Atsumu counters, scoffing. _Maybe a little._ "I'm just thinkin' a bit."

"You're overthinking," Kuroo corrects. "Chill out man. I'm sure Omi likes you too. He's just... complicated, I guess? I mean I don't know much about him, but he doesn't look like the easiest person to get along with, and you seem to be doing just fine. Don't stress it, or your brain will go into overdrive - not sure it can take so much activity."

Atsumu chuckles in amusement, shaking his head. "Ya have a talent for fuckin' up a pretty good speech." 

"What to say, I have a way with words," Kuroo tells him with a smirk, turning his body around and reaching for the computer with his hand. He taps on the 'hot chocolate' on the display. "Put in the discount for me. I'll pay you later." 

"The only reason I'm not firing you yet is because Bokuto would never stop begging me to take you back," Atsumu says, but still starts putting in the discount code. 

"No, you also love me. Plus- Oh, gotta go." 

"Huh?" Atsumu lets out, looking at Kuroo's retreating form. The only answer he gets from Kuroo is in a form of smirk before the only thing he's facing is Kuroo's back. 

Atsumu frowns at him in confusion, but he soon understands what Kuroo is snickering about when he hears the familiar, deadpan voice saying, "One caramel latte." 

The voice makes Atsumu's head spin back so fast that he feels like he has snapped his neck for a second, and when he turns, all he sees is yellow in his line of vision. _Oh, fuck me,_ Atsumu thinks before he tips his head upward, his eyes locking with Kiyoomi's. With how Atsumu is bent forward, head propped up on his elbow and chin resting in his palm, Kiyoomi looks like a giant right now, towering over Atsumu with a frown that seems to be somehow deeper than it usually is. 

"O-Oh, hey there," Atsumu greets him, standing up straight and clearing his throat, feeling as if electricity was pulsing in his veins. Atsumu feels strange seeing Kiyoomi there when he was talking about the guy with Kuroo just a few seconds ago - and thinking about him intensively for the past six days too - but he also feels excited and incredibly _happy._

He has missed Kiyoomi. 

Kiyoomi usually shows up every two to three days, but this time he disappeared for a whole six days. Atsumu was wondering when would Kiyoomi finally show up again - he was _waiting_ for Kiyoomi to come back. But now that Kiyoomi is standing right here in front of him Atsumu feels like he can't breathe, everything he has thought about in the past week coming back to him as he stares into Kiyoomi's dark orbs. It's hard to keep the eye-contact going, and Kiyoomi's glaring isn't making it any easier. 

"Rough day?" Atsumu asks. "What-"

"I'm not in the mood," Kiyoomi cuts him off, putting the coins on the counter and turning on his heel. Without another word, he walks over to his usual spot by the window in a quick stride and sits down just like that, without wiping anything down with antiseptic wipes, actually trusting that Atsumu has been keeping it all clean - Atsumu has. 

"Taking back what I said about you two getting along," Kuroo teases, chuckling as Atsumu takes the money and puts them in the cash register.

"Y'all be actin' like this is some TV drama," Atsumu says, clicking his tongue. 

Kuroo laughs. "It kinda is."

"Instead of eavesdroppin', go and tell Oikawa that he has two minutes to get his ass back here. His break was over five minutes ago."

"Yessir," Kuroo mutters. "He'll enjoy this too, I'm sure." And with that Kuroo is gone behind the staff room door. Good luck he was fast enough, otherwise Atsumu would have succeeded in kicking him again. 

While constantly checking if no new customers are coming in, Atsumu quickly makes Kiyoomi's coffee. He also glances in Kiyoomi's direction a few times in the process, noticing that Kiyoomi hasn't moved at all since the time he sat down, his position exactly the same with his hands in his lap and head facing the window. He's looking at the street, but his gaze looks unfocused, blank. Atsumu wonders what got him so messed up, but he doesn't think Kiyoomi would tell him - he also looks like he'd murder Atsumu if Atsumu decided to pry. He even went to sit down instead of waiting for his coffee by the counter, so it must be really bad. 

When he's done with the coffee, Atsumu decides to add a cake to go with it too. Kiyoomi has never bought one himself, not even once despite their display being so tempting, so Atsumu supposes today should be the day Kiyoomi tastes the heaven they sell here. Atsumu isn't sure what would Kiyoomi like the most, but he chooses to go with the strawberry cheesecake, since he reckons that Komori once uttered something about Kiyoomi liking stuff made of fruit. 

Just as he's done putting everything on a small tray and picking it up, Atsumu sees two customers walking in, and he knocks on the staff room door with his free hand, saying loud enough to be heard through the wood, "I told ya to bring Oikawa back, not to join him on his break, asshole." He hears a _coming!_ from the other side and sighs, walking over to the cash register in case the two idiots wouldn't make it before the customers come. Fortunately though, they actually listen to Atsumu this time and they are out of the room a second later, laughing about something. 

_I will kill them one of these days,_ Atsumu thinks as Oikawa takes his place at the counter, smiling from ear to ear as if he didn't prolong his break by ten minutes. Again. Honestly, Atsumu doesn't mind that much, given that there are not many customers at this hour and thus not much work either, but he needs the two of them here now so he can go to Kiyoomi. With how much freedom Atsumu gives to everyone he employs, he can exploit his power a bit too, right?

With a tray in his hand, Atsumu makes his way to Kiyoomi, but Kiyoomi doesn't notice him until Atsumu puts the tray down on the table, presenting him with the coffee and the cake. Kiyoomi startles a bit and finally averts his gaze from the street, looking firstly at the intruder and then on the contents on the table. 

"I didn't order that," he says, pointing a finger at the cake and narrowing his eyes at Atsumu as if the cake was personally offending him. Atsumu notices that Kiyoomi doesn't have his gloves on, and it makes his chest feel warm when he realizes it must be because Kiyoomi really trusts him with the cleanness of this spot. 

"I know," Atsumu nods, grinning. He feels strangely nervous in Kiyoomi's company now that he knows there could be a possibility that the guy likes him too and it isn't just a fruitless effort. He also feels like his heart is going to jump out of his chest, because he really, really missed Kiyoomi. Soon or later, he's surely going to go crazy with all these emotions raging inside of him. "However, ya seem to be in a bad mood, so I wanted to be nice and give ya a lil' somethin'." Kiyoomi stares at him for a while, eyebrow twitching funnily, and it makes Atsumu think about what Komori said about Kiyoomi not being particularly fond of Atsumu's accent. It makes Atsumu chuckle. 

After a beat of silence, Kiyoomi takes the pastry fork in his hand warily, his eyes falling back to the cake in front of him. "...I'm not paying for it," he says grumpily after a while, making Atsumu chuckle in amusement. Kiyoomi then proceeds to takes off his face mask, and Atsumu can't help but follow Kiyoomi's every movement, gaze focused on the boy's long, bony fingers.

Atsumu has seen Kiyoomi's bare hands before, and yet he can't help but admire them anyway. After all, with how Kiyoomi is so hellbent on covering every possible bit of his skin with layers of clothing, Atsumu has to appreciate times like this. 

"'Course you're not." Atsumu chuckles. "It's on me. I'm that much of a good person."

"How did you know I like strawberries?" Kiyoomi asks instead of reacting to Atsumu's self-praise and puts a small piece of the cake in his mouth reluctantly, as if he was making sure that there is no poison inside. The crease between his eyebrows gets smaller after the first bite, so Atsumu guesses Kiyoomi must like the taste. Honestly, it feels good knowing he chose the right cake.

"Guessed," Atsumu answers. "Wanna tell me what happened?" 

"No."

"Okay," Atsumu singsongs.

He's ready to turn around and go back, but Kiyoomi's voice stops him. "And what's wrong with _you?"_

"I'll need a bit more elaboration on that, Omi-Omi."

"You're not prying," Kiyoomi clarifies, tilting his head to the side. "I thought you would."

"Do ya want me to?"

"Of course not," Kiyoomi mutters, having another piece of cake. Atsumu tries his best not to focus too much on the way Kiyoomi's lips close around the fork. "But you always do anyway. I figured something must be wrong with you if you're suddenly acting like a decent human being."

"That hurts Omi-kun. I'm more than decent, I'd say," Atsumu tells him. "Nothing's wrong, I assure ya." But even after Atsumu's words, Kiyoomi continues to stare at him as if he was trying to find the answers to his question, while there are no answers to find. "Relax, will ya? There's not hidden meanin'."

"I'm still not going out with you."

 _Ouch, that stings a bit._ "Just enjoy the damn cake, Omi-kun," he says, feeling the corners of his mouth twitch. "We can talk 'bout our date when you're your usual non-completely pissed but still cranky self, hm?" It's funny how Atsumu planned to slowly collect evidence of Kiyoomi having feelings for him too before making a move, but ended up completely ignoring all the steps and jumping to the final stage of his plan instead. Kiyoomi certainly isn't in the mood to deal with Atsumu's shit, and Atsumu not only chose a very bad time to test the waters, but he also managed to insult Kiyoomi along the way.

Great. He should really do something about his brain to mouth filter. 

When Kiyoomi opens his mouth, Atsumu's breathing stops for a moment. He expects Kiyoomi to tell him to fuck off, but shockingly enough, Kiyoomi doesn't. He still looks pretty pissed off, though - okay, maybe not exactly pissed off, that would be a strong expression, but he definitely looks frustrated. "Doesn't it get tiring? With how many people exactly do you flirt on daily basis?" Kiyoomi asks, his voice rough around the edges. 

Atsumu could say something stupid or utter a joke about it, but something in the way Kiyoomi looks at him makes him rethink it. There's just something in Kiyoomi's gaze that's telling him this isn't the time to mess around, and so he says, "Only with you, Omi-kun." He grins, and Kiyoomi keeps staring at him, the intensity of those dark eyes making Atsumu feel like Kiyoomi's looking right into the very core of his existence.

Again, Kiyoomi seems to be searching for something, and Atsumu wonders why doesn't Kiyoomi simply _ask_ instead of trying to find the answers on Atsumu's face. He's definitely straightforward enough to do so, taking into consideration everything he has said to Atsumu up until now. 

"...Whatever," Kiyoomi mutters after a while and looks away, his eyebrows knotting together again. His lips do some strange motion as well as if to copy his eyebrows, and it makes Atsumu wonder if Kiyoomi always does this weird kind-of-pout thingy with his lips when his mouth is hidden underneath the mask. Atsumu is ready to point it out, the words already on the tip of his tongue, but when he notices the faint pink color of Kiyoomi's face, Atsumu's brain shuts down.

Is Kiyoomi... blushing? Is Atsumu really seeing it right? 

Is it because of what Atsumu said? It has to be. Of course it has to be; there is not any other reason he'd be blushing. 

Atsumu has to blink a few times to make sure he's not just hallucinating, but no, he finds out that he most definitely isn't imagining it. The pink hue is there even after a few seconds, dusting Kiyoomi's cheeks, and it's progressively getting more and more visible as Atsumu keeps on staring at him.

Atsumu's chest explodes at the sight, and soon, he feels his own face - and whole body - heating up when the sudden realization hits him; yes, Kiyoomi must like him too, otherwise he wouldn't react this way. And God, it's exactly what Atsumu wanted, but when the facts are right there in front of him, he has no damn idea what to do with them. His heart is beating too fast and he suddenly doesn't have a clue how does breathing fucking _work,_ which is exactly why he does what he thinks is best for him in this situation. 

He bolts, ignoring the sniggering from Oikawa and Kuroo as he walks past them in a speed of light, locking himself inside the staff room. 

Oh, he's _fucked._

Atsumu walks out of the staff room approximately ten minutes later. Kiyoomi is still sitting there.

"Too scared to talk to him, Tsumu-chan?" Oikawa questions teasingly with a laugh, and honestly, yes, Atsumu is too out of it to be able to approach Kiyoomi. He doesn't know how to behave or what to say, and it's pissing him off because Kiyoomi is _right there_ , but Atsumu can't do anything more than stare at him from afar. It's pathetic, really, to let a chance like this slip through, but he doesn't think his brain would be able to come up with something not-stupid if he decided to go up to Kiyoomi right now.

Still, Atsumu says, "No, 'course not."

Both Kuroo and Oikawa scoff. "Of course not," they echo, mocking Atsumu and Atsumu just frowns at them. 

In retrospect, hiding in the staff room probably wasn't the best idea. Yes, Atsumu had some time to calm down his racing heart, but at what cost? Oikawa and Kuroo are making fun of him like crazy, throwing jabs every minute, and Atsumu is sure that it'll only get worse - after all, Oikawa and Kuroo are a horrific combo. Atsumu hasn't checked his phone, but he's sure that one of the two has messaged the groupchat already too, spreading the word about how Atsumu ran away from Kiyoomi in panic. 

Atsumu wonders if this is karma, because Kuroo and Oikawa being together on the same shift _today_ out of all days is simply his luck. 

"He's leaving," Kuroo tells Atsumu after maybe ten minutes, as if Atsumu didn't know. 

"Tsumu-chan has no balls to go after him, though," Oikawa pipes up, in that stupid, high-pitched voice. 

"One more word and ya two won't get paid for today," Atsumu growls. 

"You're no fun, Atsumu," Kuroo drawls out as he brings another two coffees on the counter for the last two customers that are here. They take their coffee and look at Atsumu with a chuckle, amused by the bit of the conversation they heard. Kuroo laughs like it's the funniest thing. Atsumu scowls. "No, but really. He's leaving. Won't you at least go say goodbye or whatever?"

"In a minute," Atsumu mumbles. "I have to-"

"Tsumu-chan is afraid, how cute. Who would have thought this day would come," Oikawa continues to tease. "But don't worry, I'll go say bye for you. I'm an amazing friend, after all." Before his brain can catch up and process Oikawa's words, Oikawa already has a tray in his hand, making his way to Kiyoomi. 

"Ya jerk, come back-" Atsumu starts and reaches for Oikawa, but the asshole manages to dodge Atsumu's hand, laughing as he runs away. Atsumu wonders if Oikawa is twenty one or twelve as he watches him skip around the café, but the question of Oikawa's mental age is currently less concerning than the fact that Oikawa is really going to talk to Kiyoomi. _This is bad_ , Atsumu thinks, already seeing a catastrophe in making but not knowing how to stop it from happening. 

He supposes there is nothing he can do anymore when he sees Oikawa approaching Kiyoomi, side-stepping the boy a mere meter away from the entrance door and saying something to him. Atsumu doesn't hear what is Oikawa telling Kiyoomi, but he's sure it isn't anything good because the moment Oikawa points his finger in Atsumu's direction, Kiyoomi turns at him sharply, staring Atsumu down. "Well, shit," he mutters as he drops to his knees, hiding behind the counter. "I'm gonna kill Oikawa."

"I'll watch," Kuroo says, and Atsumu slaps his thigh with all the strength he has. The hiss that Kuroo lets out makes him at least a little happy in this shitty situation.

When Atsumu hears approaching steps, he asks, "What did ya tell him?" 

"Just that you're saying bye," Oikawa says, shrugging his shoulders. Atsumu breathes out a relieved sigh; if this is all Oikawa said, then it's not that bad- "And then he asked why don't you come and say it yourself, so I told him you're too busy freaking out-"

Atsumu springs to his feet, and Oikawa yelps, almost dropping the tray with some cups and glasses he collected around the café before coming back. "I'm gonna _kill_ ya!" 

_Or maybe I'll kill myself first._

Kiyoomi doesn't show up for the next three days and Atsumu is going crazy. He has already sorted his thoughts and collected himself, ready to ask Kiyoomi on a date with all seriousness and no joking around the very next day, but Kiyoomi didn't show up on Wednesday, nor on Thursday, and today is almost over too and Kiyoomi just isn't showing up. The waiting is becoming torturous. 

Atsumu thought about texting Kiyoomi or calling him, but when he asked Komori for Kiyoomi's number, Komori refused to give it to him. No amount of pleading and reasoning worked, but Atsumu kept on trying because the waiting was seriously killing him. _"I'm not giving it to you. He'd kill me if I did that,_ " Komori said this morning after the twentieth text and third phone call, even telling Atsumu that after a year of working for him, he is already used to Atsumu being annoying, so no amount of calls and texts is going to make him give up Kiyoomi's number. 

And so, all that is left for Atsumu to do is to mope around while he waits for Kiyoomi to come and have his damn late so he can take him out. 

They are closing in ten minutes and there is no sign of Kiyoomi anywhere, though. Atsumu wonders if he will come tomorrow then, or if Atsumu will be grumpy for one day longer. He guesses that this is what he deserves for running off three days ago, hiding in the back and, on top of that, letting Oikawa - fucking Oikawa - talk to Kiyoomi. Plus, as if life hasn't been slapping Atsumu hard enough, he's working with both Bokuto and Kuroo today, and while the two of them are very capable work-vice, Atsumu is ready to kill himself after being with them the whole fucking day. Fortunately, Yaku is there too to keep this place from burning down, so that's at least one thing to be grateful for.

Usually when Atsumu is making the shift sheet for the upcoming week, he avoids putting Kuroo and Bokuto or Kuroo and Oikawa together for the sheer sake of his own mental health. However, the three of them are the kings of whining and if Atsumu doesn't give them at least one shift together, they are bothering him so much that Atsumu wants to kill them all. Putting them together for one day is better than them talking his ears off with their begging for the next seven days. 

Atsumu might think differently at the moment as he watches Bokuto balancing the paper cups on his forehead while Kuroo records him, but yes, it's still better. 

The last ten minutes of their opening hours come to end, and Atsumu sighs deeply. So, tomorrow again then. 

The clean up takes them around half an hour, and Atsumu can't wait to get home. Kuroo and Bokuto ask him to go drinking with them but Atsumu refuses and tells them that he's dead tired and wants to go to sleep as soon as possible. It's only a half life, since he really is tired, but he definitely doesn't want to go to sleep yet. Maybe he'll watch a movie or something, since he's picking up some food on the way home. 

"Don't be like that, Tsum-Tsum!" Bokuto wails. "You always come with us. And it's Friday, man."

"I've had enough for today," Atsumu chuckles. While Kuroo and Bokuto are a definite pain in the ass, they are fun to be around. Even today, joking around with them made him forget about Kiyoomi for a while. However, he truly wants to go home today and pity himself in the comfortable space of his apartment. "Tomorrow?" he offers. After all, if Kiyoomi doesn't show up tomorrow, Atsumu will definitely need to have a few drinks. 

"Deal," Kuroo agrees.

"You can't go out drinking every damn day," Yaku says with a sigh. 

"Who says?"

"Common sense."

"Well I'm definitely not listening to something that is literally called _common._ If it was a _special_ sense, maybe then I would," Bokuto replies, and while Yaku shakes his head in disappointment, Atsumu can't help but chuckle. 

They talk for a bit more while dressing out of the uniforms and putting on their normal clothes, mostly sharing some funny experiences with customers from today. Working with people is one of the most exhausting type of jobs, but it has a bright side too, for example the many funny stories. And tips. Tips are definitely great too. But some stories and experiences are just gold, peak comedy. 

The first one to leave is Yaku who is having a sleepover with his friends and needs to hurry, and after another ten minutes Kuroo and Bokuto disappear too. The silence that comes when everyone leaves is strange, but it's not unwelcome either, and Atsumu exhales deeply, leaning his back against the wall and closing his eyes. _What a day it was_ , Atsumu thinks as he relaxes his body, trying to remember who is working tomorrow. During the weekends there are more employees and Atsumu tends to forget who exactly is working, especially when everyone is messaging him if their plans changed and someone else will come to work instead of them. 

God, managing people is a lot of work. But it's also fun. Every single one of his employees is his age, and they are more like a family at this point rather than just coworkers. The family is a chaotic one for sure, but Atsumu really likes it nonetheless. He thinks he's definitely having more fun in life than Osamu, and that itself is a victory. Besides-

"Hi," a voice says from the direction of the door, and Atsumu screams out of fear and curses as he stands up from the chair he's been sitting on in a speed of light, jumping back and almost dropping his phone on the floor in the process. His first instinct is to quickly grab the first thing he sees and throw it at the intruder - a thief maybe? - but Atsumu stops himself when his gaze focuses on the person that's standing by the door. 

"Omi-kun?" Atsumu whispers in disbelief into the quietness of the room. And then, louder, "What the _hell_ are ya doin' here? I almost shit myself! H-How even-" 

"Your colleagues let me in," Kiyoomi cuts him off, taking off his scarf. Atsumu just stares at him wordlessly, wondering if this is really happening or if it's just his imagination that's playing games with him. Atsumu would tell that this is actually happening, but it still feels too surreal to be true, so he doesn't know what he should believe. "Did I actually scare you that much?" Kiyoomi asks when Atsumu doesn't say anything for a while - bastard doesn't even look worried about scaring the living shit out of Atsumu. Instead, he looks pretty smug about it. 

"Well, I definitely didn't expect someone to come in here," Atsumu snaps and runs a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh. It takes him a moment to calm down and realize that he's not going to get killed by some random thief on this fine Friday night, but once he does, the realization that _Kiyoomi_ is right here makes his adrenaline skyrocket again. "What are ya doin' here anyway?" he questions, trying to ignore all the emotions that are messing with his body, making it feel all warm and tingly. His chest feels tight too, but not in a bad way; t's tight in the best way possible, as if it was packed with butterflies and fireworks and fuck- he's so glad to see Kiyoomi.

Atsumu thinks this is what happiness feels like. 

"I heard you've been bothering Komori to get my number," Kiyoomi says, brushing a few strands of hair away from his eyes. "So I guessed you wanted to talk."

"Why didn't ya show up sooner then?" Atsumu asks, feeling slightly embarrassed. So Komori told Kiyoomi about all the text messages and calls? That's just- just great. 

"I was thinking," Kiyoomi replies shortly. When Atsumu asks what he was thinking about, Kiyoomi frowns as if saying _you know about what._ However, Atsumu doesn't know, no. He _thinks_ he knows, but why should he be filling in the blank spaces by himself when Kiyoomi is here and can just tell him instead? It's dangerous to go around guessing stuff in a situation like this. "...About you. I was thinking about you, you idiot," Kiyoomi adds with a bite when Atsumu keeps silent, and again, his voice sounds a bit rough - frustrated.

Atsumu feels a swell of pride at the knowledge that he's one of the maybe-handful people who can rile Kiyoomi up to the point that it shows on his voice. It's not like he's happy about making Kiyoomi angry; it's more about the fact that the stone-faced and flat-voiced Kiyoomi is showing some emotion because of nobody other than Atsumu, and Atsumu _thrives_. 

He walks closer to Kiyoomi, crossing the room but making sure not to step too close into Kiyoomi's comfort one. "What about me?" he pushes again, knowing that he's standing on a thin ice, but when has this ever stopped Atsumu? Okay, maybe it has stopped him a few times before, but it definitely isn't stopping him now when the sheer happiness and excitement of finally seeing Kiyoomi and the anticipation of what's to come pulses through his veins, making him much more braver than Atsumu normally would be in such a situation. 

Kiyoomi narrows his eyes at Atsumu and says, "I was wondering if you are an asshole or if you're actually serious." Oh, how Atsumu likes it when Kiyoomi is straightforward like that. "But I still don't know, so I came to ask you. Are you an asshole, or are you actually serious, Miya?" 

"Depends," Atsumu makes a pause, chuckling when he sees Kiyoomi's eyebrow twitch in annoyance. He wonders if Kiyoomi is doing the pout-thingy as well underneath the mask. He'd like to see. "It would be embarrassing if I was serious but you didn't feel the same, so I was wonderin' if you like me too or not, 'cause ya keep refusin' to go out with me every time I ask but then you show up like this." By the looks of it, Kiyoomi must have caught the _like me **too**_ , and Atsumu honestly loves the way Kiyoomi takes a breath upon hearing the words, his eyes having that soft look in them again. "I still don't know either, so lemme ask ya too. D'you like me or not?" he asks with confidence, but there is doubt slowly but surely creeping in the back of his heart when Kiyoomi just wordlessly stares at him for a while.

And then, after a few beats of silence, Kiyoomi takes a step forward, closer to Atsumu, and tells him, "Ask again and see for yourself." That's the only invitation Atsumu needs. 

"Wanna go on a date with me, Omi-kun?" 

And after so many _no_ 's, this time it's a, "Yes."


End file.
